Bedstead



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MPETEES, PHOTO-UTHOGRAFHER. WASHXNGTUN, D. C.

unirsi) sTATEs PATENT omnes;

CHARLES W. CURTIS, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IBEDSTEAD.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 2,881, dated December 12, 1842.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. CURTIS, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful improvements in bedsteads made wholly of iron or other metal for prisons and for hospitals or partly of iron and partly of wood for family use.

The object of my improvements, is, to give elasticity'which bedsteads of iron or other metal have not heretofore had, and a shape or form of construction adapted to their use. And the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making part of this specification in which- Figure l, is a perspective view of an improved iron bedstead supported for use in the cell of a prison. Fig. 2, represents the bedstead turned up out of the way, and fastened against the side of the cell. Fig. 3, an open-eyed hinge to be fixed in the wall of the cell to support the backside of the bedstead: Fig. 4, a hook attached to the wall, by which the bedstead may be held in place when turned up.

To enable others skilled in the art, to make and use my improvements, I describe the construction and operation thereof as follows:

I make the frame of bedsteads for prisoncells 6 feetV long by 2 feet wide (more or less as may be required) of round iron or of an inch in diameter, and instead of cloth sacking, or cords or cross bars, I extend light hoop iron from end to end, and from side to side crossing at right angles, and generally riveted together in place at the crossings, or at most of them, forming checks about 4 inches square as seen in Fig. 2. Both ends of these hoops pass around the bar of the frame, and are riveted at or near the nearest cross, thus forming a loop to play easily on the bar of the frame, as seen in the same Fig. 2. This bedstead frame is supported on the back side by two open-eyed hooks, like Fig. 3, made fast in the wall of the cell, at adjustable height from the floor, as seen in Fig. 1 A, A, and the front of the bedstead is supported by two legs attached to the bar of the frame, on which they turn by a loop or eye inclosing it as seen Fig. 1, B, B. Bedsteads of this construction generally, but of a somewhat larger size and with permanent legs or posts and a headboard attached, will be found to be convenient in hospitals and other similar situations. Also bedsteads of wood for frames, of the ordinary size and form for family use, instead of cloth and cords for sacking may be furnished with iron-hoop sacking or bottom; stretched on a round iron elastic frame in the manner above described, and attached to the inside of the wooden frame of the bedstead by open-eyed hooks, 3 on each side and 2 at each end as seen respectively in Fig. 5, A, A. These hooks as seen at B, B, B of the same gure come through the frame and are governed each by a nut and screw which may be sunk deep and capped. There are corresponding hooks Y C, C, C, C, C, on the opposite' side and end of the frame, held in place by being simply screwed into the frame of the bedstead. The iron frame of the sacking is placed within these open-eyed hooks, and is held in place by turning the nuts B, B, &c., which not only draw tight the iron hoop sacking, but thereby hold the bedstead frame firmly together and supersede the necessity of screws at joints. Iron bedsteads thus made ought to be painted to protect them from rust.

The operatio-n of bedsteads thus formed is to produce a pleasant elasticity, propor' tioned to the size or flexibility of the bars of the frame and of the hoops, and if kept well painted Awill be very durable and it is believed they will be free from offensive vermin. Those in use in prison cells can be easily unstripped and removed wholly, or turned up to the side of the cell and fastened in place by the hook C, the legs B, B hanging perpendicularly, outof the way as seen Fig. 2, thereby giving room to the inmate of the cell, and free inspection to the superintendent. Y

I do `not claim as my invention iron or metal bedsteads merely. They have long been in use; but

I claim as my invention and improvement- The combination of light hoop metal bands, with metallic frames of flexible bars, suspended by the loops and supported in the manner specified, and therefore I solicit Let ters Patent. y

CHS. W. CURTIS. Witnesses: y

SIMON BALDWIN, WM. J. FLAGG. 

